Scotland Yard chief leak ‘over Lord Prescott’

A HIGH-RANKING detective was angry at alleged interference from Lord Prescott when she offered the News of the World a tip-off about the phone hacking inquiry, a court heard yesterday.

PUBLISHED: PUBLISHED: 00:01, Tue, Jan 8, 2013

Detective Chief Inspector April Casburn arrives at court

Detective Chief Inspector April Casburn, a member of Scotland Yard’s counter-terrorism command, also worried that resources would be diverted from fighting terror to reopen the phone-hacking inquiry.

But Tim Wood, the NoW journalist she rang, said she was almost justifying her call because of the alleged interference by the former Labour deputy prime minister.

“She kept going on about Lord Prescott,” he said. She claimed he was pressing detectives to bring hacking charges against the NoW.

Casburn, 53, of Hatfield Peverel, Essex, denies misconduct in a public office.

She admits she rang the now-closed Sunday paper in 2010 but insists she never asked for money.

She must have asked for money. I would not have put that if she had not said or given an indication

Tim Wood

Mr Wood, who detailed the conversation in an email to his superiors, told London’s Southwark Crown Court: “She must have asked for money. I would not have put that if she had not said or given an indication.”

Casburn refused to give her name on the call but left a phone number, the court heard.

The trial continues.

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